Wonderlust: Inspired by the Wedgwood archive

Take your travels to exotic, uncharted territory. Our new Wonderlust patterns celebrate the brightest and most unusual flora and fauna found around the globe, designed to add a pop of inspiring colour and bold pattern to your table.

New Wonderlust pattern plates

Inspired by the Wedgwood archive

If you delve a little closer into this wonderful world, spy elements of patterns inspired from the Wedgwood archive. Embracing ideas from the past swirled with whimsy and imagination from today, our new Wonderlust patterns pay homage to our past, while a foot is firmly placed in our bold and eclectic present.

Take a journey through time with new Wonderlust patterns.

Sapphire Garden from past to present

Wonderlust Sapphire Garden pattern
Our Sapphire Garden pattern takes inspiration from botanical designs and the Wedgwood archive. 

A nod to delicate blooms drawn many years ago, this new Wonderlust pattern builds on the floral foundation to now include curious creatures and a bold backdrop of colour. 

All great ideas start somewhere, and Sapphire Garden’s journey began in the late 1820s when these flowers were first sketched.

From the creative minds of the past to the design and imagination of the present.

Explore new Sapphire Garden pattern

Water Lily from past to present

Wonderlust Water lily pattern
The original Water Lily pattern hails all the way back to the 1800s. A variation of the design was originally engraved in 1806 for the Wedgwood factory, with the pattern going into production in early 1808. Over the years it has seen many variations, including being printed in red on-glaze, as well as a blue-printed variation with cut reed border. 

It is thought the inspiration for the pattern came from John Wedgwood, Josiah’s eldest son. John was particularly interested in horticulture and was one of the founding members of the Horticultural Society (later the RHS).

The original pattern is sometimes referred to as “Darwin Water Lily”, with Susannah Darwin (Josiah’s eldest child and the mother of Charles Darwin) being gifted it for her wedding day by her brothers.

Today it has been developed in colour as part of our new Wonderlust collection – a wonderful nod to the past, with a modern, creative and eclectic Wedgwood twist. The colours reflect the wonderful horticultural inspiration, while the crane adds an element of curiousity and wonder to the pattern.

Explore new Water Lily pattern

Wedgwood designer Gwyn working on Wonderlust patterns

About the designer

These Wonderlust patterns have been carefully developed by our experienced in-house designer, Gwyn. 
Having been at Wedgwood for over ten years, Gwyn is passionate about illustrating the strong bond to our Wedgwood heritage in new and curious patterns. Taking inspiration from the Wedgwood archive, these thoughtful patterns have been developed to perfectly merge the original artistic drawings and new curious ideas, borne out of her imagination. 
Hand-drawn with care and consideration, these little worlds of wonder conjure a feeling of discovery, so that every time you see the pattern, something new and wonderful appears to make your acquaintance.